Securing the Trailer

[Hilldweller]

My Conquorer doesn't have anything for locking the big doors and I've been looking all over for something that would be hard to subvert. Right now I'm just using teenie-tiny padlocks through the flip-latches.

I was about to buy some uber hasps from Overland Hardware but Joaquin informed me that he no longer makes/sells them...
Look at this; it's a marvel of simplicity and function:

Anybody know of something simple, small, and robust? The available mounting space alongside the side doors is less than 1.5" wide.

 

[mtnbike28]

Cable locks?

What I did was use two cable locks. One looped through itself on the side handle, across the back and the locked to the handle on the other side. I then loop the second cable through the first, through the spare tire and lock it to the axle. This keeps them from being easy to open, and I feel safe leaving in public areas for short time periods but when I have left it deep in the woods, anyone with less than an hour and hammer or pry bar would be in. My bigger fear when leaving the trailer is someone stealing the whole thing. I double lock the hitch, and run another cable lock through the tires. All three tires are locked... again at best, really only slowing someone down....

 

[Hilldweller]

As a former long-distance motorcyclist, I was thinking of a Xena maybe:
http://www.xenasecurity.com/home/current/lock/

 

[fubar]

I kinda wish I'd seen these before I drilled for the stainless steel marine locks I used.

http://www.marinelock.com/Stainless-Steel-Refrigerator-Lock_p_19.html

 

[ntsqd]

Look at some of the truck tool beds and how they lock & secure those doors. Not all of them use the locking 'T' handle latch.

Two ideas come to mind. Picture a heavy gauge piano hinge running across the top of the trailer body above the opening, but below the RTT. If it had a steel flap that over-hung the door and it could be locked at each end then the door could not open until those locks were removed and the flap moved up out of the way.

Alternately a interrupted pin could be either slid or rotated from outside, but engage lugs on the door from the inside. Make the handle lock in the closed position.

I'm partial to the former as I think it's less intrusive to the trailer. With a little time I can model either and produce a jpg if desired.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Buy a solar powered electric fence unit, and wire it up to electrify the trailer body. Hang warning signs. Done.

 

[The Swiss]

There is a saying that the purpose of locks is only to signalize honest people that something is off-limits.

Obviously it should not be made too easy for crooks to break into your trailer, specially for the amateurs. On the other hand, if somebody wants to break tha law and break into your trailer, he should be able to do it without causing too much collateral damage.

That said, most delivery vans in Detroit are using these kind of master locks http://www.inlad.com/MasterLockandHasp.aspx

 

[XJBANKER]

Look at some of the truck tool beds and how they lock & secure those doors. Not all of them use the locking 'T' handle latch.

Two ideas come to mind. Picture a heavy gauge piano hinge running across the top of the trailer body above the opening, but below the RTT. If it had a steel flap that over-hung the door and it could be locked at each end then the door could not open until those locks were removed and the flap moved up out of the way.

Alternately a interrupted pin could be either slid or rotated from outside, but engage lugs on the door from the inside. Make the handle lock in the closed position.

I'm partial to the former as I think it's less intrusive to the trailer. With a little time I can model either and produce a jpg if desired.

I like the sounds of these ideas.
I have been thinking of what to do with my compact trailer as well.

 

[SunTzuNephew]

Buy a solar powered electric fence unit, and wire it up to electrify the trailer body. Hang warning signs. Done.

A friend of mine used to be an instructor at a formal, civilian aircraft maintenance technician school....he taught electrical, and fabric coverings...

In his classroom/shop, he had his rather large rollaway tool chest...which he'd leave unlocked during the day. To keep his students from 'borrowing' his tools, he had the biggest capacitor I've ever seen (it was about the size of a coffee can, and rated at something like 4 farads - not microfarads, farads) wired up to a very small power supply and a wire...

When people tried to borrow the tools, they'd get a slight surprise :Wow1: They learned pretty quickly not to borrow tools, without asking :victory:

 

[OS-Aussie]

I like the idea of these locks for my trailer and saving on finding all the different keys. Just a matter of if they fit.

The world’s first codeable padlock. Operates only with your vehicle’s ignition key.

http://www.quadratec.com/products/55216_9000.htm

 

[Hilldweller]

Swiss,
I checked those monster hasps; they're too big.

I looked around at stores with truck tool boxes but there wasn't anything interesting there; I'll keep looking that way.

The fridge lock thing looks pretty easy to live with; it would work well with the screaming Xena lock. Like Swiss said, you can't keep out a professional bad guy but you might make it less worth while for him to try.

One of the things that's on my mind is that I might be in a motel on the way out to the Overland Expo if I can't find a campground. I'd rather not have anybody poking through my stuff...

 

[fubar]

While I have been happy with these: http://www.wholesalemarine.com/p/S-D-221150-1/, this thread has me thinking that I might take my scooter cable locks and rig something involving the side handles and the spare tire mount for high(er) security situations.

 

[XJBANKER]

While I have been happy with these: http://www.wholesalemarine.com/p/S-D-221150-1/, this thread has me thinking that I might take my scooter cable locks and rig something involving the side handles and the spare tire mount for high(er) security situations.

Were you able to get these keyed alike and how many did you put on your trailer?

 

[fubar]

Were you able to get these keyed alike and how many did you put on your trailer?

Yup. All 3 keyed alike.

 

[ntsqd]

These are rough models of my preferred idea. They could be shaped to use the Master Puck locks used on the van door lock assemblies on the exposed end tabs.